There has been a lot of talk, some of it quite eloquent, about how this election represents a fundamental political transformation. That all might be true. But I’m old enough to remember the 2010 midterm elections. The mighty, groundbreaking coalition just couldn’t be bothered to show up and vote.

Snark aside (although why would we want to do that?), the key challenge for Democrats is to convince their supporters to show up. Because for me, the most important result (well, second most important result) is that, in battleground states, African-Americans were overrepresented (e.g., in Ohio, 12% of voters are black, while 15% of votes cast were by African-Americans). I’m not sure that’s ever happened in my lifetime on a large scale. Admittedly, when your base is younger (i.e., has to work) and more mobile (less likely to be correctly registered and hard to contact), there might be a built-in disadvantage. But I’ve never understood why Democrats can’t figure out how to mobilize their voters in midterm elections. The Republicans manage to do it.

If the Democrats were smart (I know, humor me), they wouldn’t disband their outreach organization like they did in 2008 (and by “they”, I mean Obama). Keep it going (although maybe cut down on the emails a bit…). That way, in 2014, they will be to reach and mobilize Democrats far more easily.

Like I said, this relies on someone in the Democratic hierarchy with access to cash figuring this out. Not feeling so optimistic about that.

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2 Responses to Not to Be a Killjoy About the Election…

another thing to consider: I don’t think most progressives really realize how very whacked the hard right is. anyone that thinks they’re going to be reasonable after last Tuesday just isn’t thinking clearly.

you would not believe some of the stuff I’m reading on their blogs, etc….no one using reality based thinking would. but briefly, try these two on: the Obama campaign was viciously lie-based and defeated a good and honest man; and Gen Petraeus was threatened into resigning because he was going to tell the truth about the Whitehouse involvement in and coverup regarding the embassy attack in Benghazi, it was that or get “Vince Fostered”.

and they believe it!

this is the mentality/mindset of the people that are backing the hard right Republicans. they have no reason to back down, no reason to not stay on the exact same course of the previous 4 years. they have no price to pay for obstruction. they don’t want government to work, and as long as they do what they do, it won’t…they can (and will) blame it on ineffective leadership by a Democratic President, and everyone that votes for them will swallow it hook, line, and sinker.

Districts are now so gerrymandered that they will *never* lose the House. at some point, largely due to the voter dissatisfaction that they caused (but successfully blame on Dems) they *will* regain the Senate.